


Baby Zagreus

by LumpyT3l3vision



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Fluff, Hades (Video Game 2018) Spoilers, Hades is a Good Parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 18:28:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29283027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LumpyT3l3vision/pseuds/LumpyT3l3vision
Summary: Newborn Zagreus is fussy and Hades has to face fatherhood for the first time in the midst of grief.
Relationships: Hades & Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Nyx & Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 78





	Baby Zagreus

**Author's Note:**

> Emphasis/italics are thoughts or memories.

It had only been days since the prince had been born and Lord Hades, god of the dead was in the throes of grief. But he had a job to do. The dead wait for no one and with the Queen gone he had even more work than usual to keep up with. He started with the mountain of parchment on his desk when the screams of a baby echoed through the chambers of the mighty house of Hades.

 _Does Lord Hades torture a child?_ Thought the shades waiting in line, though they dared not speak this out loud.

Lord Hades grumbled. The child had been nothing but a nuisance since he arrived. 

“Nyx,” he summoned. She emerged from the darkness of his shadow.

“Yes, Lord Hades” 

“The boy’s incessant crying interferes with my work.”

“I will tend to the child.” She lingered as though she wanted to say something else, but quickly enough, she disappeared. Zagreus stopped crying.

_Ah, peace_

Yet it was only after two contract signatures that the crying started up again.

**“BLAST!”**

Hypnos awoke with a start. Shades who once were eager to state their pleas began to withdraw, fearing the wrath of an angered god. 

_This cannot stand_

Hades emerged from his desk and stormed towards…

**The nursery.**

The nursery Persephone had decorated. The nursery he destroyed with rage when they thought their son was stillborn because it would only bring her more tears. He had not been in the nursery since she left.

 _How could you_ he imagined her saying. _You haven’t even looked at our son._

He entered the nursery. The wallpaper was torn as though Cerberus clawed through it. Cold grey stone was revealed beneath that yellow floral wallpaper she loved so much. _The color of the sun._ He wanted to tear the rest of it down. The only furniture left was the cradle and a small table upon which was a vase of nightshade flowers. 

“He cannot be calmed by me at this time” said Nyx, carefully. _You try,_ she meant. Hades got her meaning. Thousands of years of working together grants you a certain understanding of someone. 

So Nyx disappeared, leaving Hades alone for the first time with his newborn son. He had no idea what to do. 

*sigh* “ This behavior is unbecoming of a prince of the underworld” said Lord Hades, but the remark fell on deaf ears. Baby Zagreus, it appears, would not be placated by criticism. The screeching was unbearable. He needed to try something, anything.

Hades moved to pick up his son. His hands, large and overbearing, engulfed Zagreus’s tiny body. He gently moved one hand under the boys head for support and scooped him up with the other. Zagreus squirmed a bit at the change, but the warmth of his father’s hands were welcome after the cool touch of Night. 

“shhh” Hades tried, and Zagreus screamed in defiance. _Hmm_  
Hades was desperate the way all parents are when their baby won’t stop crying. But He had one more idea. He recalled a song Persephone sang during pregnancy. A famous mortal tune they sing to babies. I changed the lyrics a bit. She was so excited to sing it to their child, but now it was just Hades. He would have to be enough, though he was not a singer. In his low, atonal voice, Hades relented and gruffly sang his son a lullaby.  
_**  
Hush little Zagreus don’t say a word  
Hades will buy you the whole underworld  
And if his precious gems don’t shine….  
Dionysus will give you some pomegranate wine  
**_  
Baby Zagreus stopped crying to listen to his fathers voice. He must remember. Zagreus opened his eyes. The music had worked like a charm. The temporary embarrassment of singing faded when Hades saw those eyes looking up at him so innocently. Persephone would love him.  
He had avoided his son so he would not be reminded of her, but in doing so he had neglected her final gift. She left, but she left behind a piece of her. In his son’s eye was the vibrant green hope of her garden. In his other eye was the red rage of Hades’s curse. They were both stuck with each other, here, whether they liked it or not. His son did not know this yet. A familiar gloom fell over Hades’ face.  
As though he sensed the sadness, Zagreus let out a fiery kick in his father’s hand.  
“Blast!”  
Zagreus looked up with eyes full of mischief. For once, Hades’ mouth curled into the tiniest smile.


End file.
